Stephen Murley is the current Superintendent of Schools for the Iowa City, Iowa public school district. We spoke to him ahead of his scheduled February 20th visit to learn more about him and his educational background.
WTAQ: Tell me a little bit about your background as an educator.
Murley: For the last ten years, I’ve been Superintendent in Iowa City. If you’re not familiar with it, the University of Iowa is here, the ACT, the test all the kids take, they’re right across the parkway from me. It’s like Madison without the capital.
Before that, I was in Wausau for 11 years, finishing out there as Superintendent. Before that, I worked down in Wisconsin Rapids, and before that, Neenah.
I graduated from Oshkosh West, got my teachers certification at UW-Oshkosh and got my masters degree at UW-Madison.
WTAQ: What makes you the right person for this job?
Murley: A couple of things stood out to me…and just knowing Green Bay. I have worked on a lot of the same challenges Green Bay has. Equity and achievement gaps, working with English language learners in the schools, working to develop opportunities for students as they move past high school…I’m hoping that with 27 years in public ed and 15 years as a superintendent have sharpened my saw on a lot of the issues Green Bay has in front of it.
WTAQ: Why Green Bay in particular?
Murley: Wisconsin is a little bit different than Iowa, but it’s similar insofar as we see our population urbanizing. We have more people moving into the area from outside of the area. I think what that does is present a unique opportunity to have a real influence on the future of the state. We see the workforce transitioning, we see higher ed transitioning. I really believe that our urban school districts have potentiality to have the most impact on the future of the state… I think Green Bay is uniquely positioned to do that. There is lot happening in the city and in the metro area, and I think the school district can really be a catalyst for moving that forward.
WTAQ: What would you say is your greatest accomplishment as an educator?
Murley: I would say that it’s the people we’ve hired…top to bottom. We’re a service-heavy industry…and the folks that you hire, top to bottom, from your custodians to your food service people right up to the administrators you hire at the central office of your district. They have the greatest opportunity to impact kids on a daily basis, so if you can get the best and the brightest in those positions, you can literally move mountains.
Murley will be in Green Bay Thursday, February 20th. Parents, staff, and community members will get an opportunity to meet him between 4:30 and 6:00 pm at the District Office Building, 200 S. Broadway, Room 331.
Click HERE to see the answers from finalist Dr. Sonia Stewart.
